Tulpehocken Creek

The Tulpehocken Creek is an outstanding tailwater fishery located just outside of Reading, Pennsylvania. The dam creating Blue Marsh Lake was erected by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1978 is managed as a flood control project. The bottom release dam also happens to discharge cool and fertile water from depths of up to 50 feet which keeps the Tulpehocken Creek cool enough for trout to thrive. In fact, the trout in Tulpehocken Creek inhabit the 4-5 miles of water below the dam, with heavy brown and rainbow trout averaging between 12-14 inches. The Tulpehocken Creek (the "Tully") is also influenced by two tributaries which help cool the lower stretches of the stream during the hottest summer months. Tulpehocken Creek is float stocked with brown and rainbow trout. Tully holdover brown and rainbow trout average 13 to 16 inches with a many over 18 inches. In Spring of 2017 the Tully was entered into PA’s Keystone Select Program. This means the Tully will get stocked twice in the Spring with 18-22” Brown Trout! This steam now rivals the Western Streams in terms of fish size per mile.